Electrical connectors are well known in the electrical wiring industry, and can be either a male electrical connector or a female electrical connector. Male electrical connectors include at least two, and typically at least three, prongs or contacts extending from a housing for joining with a complementary number of contact holes formed in a mating female connector.
The male and female electrical connectors can take various configurations. For example, the male and female electrical connectors can be connected to the end of a multi-connector cable. Alternatively, either the male electrical connector or the female electrical connector can be mounted on a wiring enclosure or a piece of equipment. A male electrical connector, which is mounted to an enclosure or a piece of equipment, is called an inlet. A female electrical connector, which is mounted to an electrical enclosure or a piece of equipment is called a receptacle or outlet.
A shrouded male electrical connector includes a cylindrical shroud or cylinder extending from the base of the housing and encircling the prongs. The shroud is normally at least as long as the prongs and is often slightly longer than the prongs such that the prongs are slightly recessed in the shroud. The shroud primarily serves to protect the prongs from damage during shipping and handling of the electrical connector.
A mating female electrical connector or receptacle may be cylindrically shaped to be received within the shroud of the male electrical connector and a shroud with a cylindrical recess encircling the contact retainer body to receive the shroud of the male electrical connector therein.
All electrical connectors which are exposed to adverse environmental conditions require a cover or lid to seal and protect the electrical elements from grit, moisture and other elements. This is especially relevant in outdoor electrical connectors which are subject to a variety of weather conditions such as moisture, rain, snow and other environmental conditions.
Weatherproof electrical covers or arrangements are well known in the art for protecting the electrical contacts of the electrical connector. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,000 to Appleton discloses an electrical connector assembly having a hinge mounted cover which is normally biased by a spring to cover the open front of the electrical connector to protect the contacts therein. The interface between the lid or cover in the electrical connector housing is typically not waterproof by itself, and thus, the cover is provided with a foam gasket or the like, to seal the interface therebetween.
While many attempts made to provide a cover or lid for the opening of the electrical connector, these prior art devices suffer from many disadvantages. Many of these prior art devices require many parts and are expensive to manufacture. In addition, many of these prior art devices use parts which wear out. Moreover, many of these prior art devices are not coupled to the electrical connector housing so as to be readily accessible even when not in use.
In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need for a sealing arrangement for an electrical connector housing to prevent the ingress of contaminants. This invention addresses this need in the art along with other needs and/or problems which will become apparent to those skilled in the art once given this disclosure.